This paper looks at how historical
approaches to leadership research have focused on paradigms which are entrenched in an
entitative concept of
organisation which somes argue dominate the disciplines of organisational behaviour and human resource management. It discusses how such an approach focuses on the characteristics of individuals and groups within organisations and how the person and the organisation are viewed as separate and distinct entities. It explores the nature of non-entitative approaches to
leadership research and articulates some key conceptual and practical liabilities associated with traditional entitative approaches.